Joseph Morelle

Mr. MORELLE

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Hispanic American Heritage Month to recognize a beloved musician, broadcaster, and community leader from Rochester, New York: Hector Arguinzoni. Born in Cayey, Puerto Rico, Hector moved with his family to Rochester when he was just two years old. Raised in a musical family, he learned to play instruments including the guitar and cuatro, beginning a lifelong relationship with music that would ultimately take him around the world. Hector became a well-known musician and singer in Rochester, including as a member of the renowned Antonetti Orchestra. But for Hector, music has always been about more than performance. It has been a way to bring people together, celebrate culture, and strengthen community. That same spirit has guided his decades of public service and youth outreach. As Director of the Puerto Rican Arts and Cultural Center within Rochester's Department of Recreation, Hector helped create opportunities for young people while preserving and celebrating the rich cultural traditions of Rochester' Puerto Rican community. And when Poder 97.1, a local Latino radio station, began broadcasting in 2015, Hector became the station's first DJ on the air, bringing his unmistakable love of music to a new generation of listeners. Today, he continues that tradition on the airwaves, connecting Rochester's Spanish-speaking community through music, culture, and conversation. It is my great privilege to recognize Hector Arguinzoni during Hispanic American Heritage Month and thank him for a lifetime of music, cultural leadership, and service to Rochester.

Mr. MORELLE

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, my dear friend, the once and future chair of the Committee on Rules. I appreciate his passion and his energy around this issue. As many of us witnessed in this weekend's explosive ``60 Minutes'' report, the White House continues to betray the public's trust and abuse the pardon power for personal gain. To combat this rampant corruption, I recently introduced H.R. 10032, the No Payoffs for Pardons Act. This legislation will bring desperately needed transparency and accountability to the Presidential pardon process. It will prevent Presidents from exchanging clemency for financial or political favors. It will restore the trust that has been systematically eroded since this administration's term began. On the first day of Donald Trump's second term, he issued a blanket pardon to the violent cop-killers who attacked this very building, this Chamber, on January 6, 2021, many of whom have gone on to commit subsequent serious violent crimes. He has pardoned prolific fraudsters that have bilked families out of their life savings and retirement funds, depriving them of any chance whatsoever for justice or restitution. The Constitution grants Presidents broad authority to issue pardons as a safeguard against injustice, as an instrument for mercy, not as a tool for personal enrichment or political favoritism. Yet, President Trump has repeatedly used the clemency power to benefit only political allies, wealthy associates, and well-connected individuals, while at the same time cheating those who truly, truly deserve justice and mercy.

Mr. MORELLE

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Mrs. Nydia Padilla-Rodriguez of Rochester, New York, on the occasion of her retirement after a lifetime of extraordinary service to our community. Born in Puerto Rico and later making Rochester her home, Nydia Padilla-Rodriguez has devoted her life to preserving and celebrating Puerto Rican culture through the performing arts. As the leader of the Borinquen Dance Theatre for more than 40 years, she has inspired generations of young people through dance, music, and folklore, while creating opportunities for individuals of all backgrounds to experience and appreciate Puerto Rican traditions. Together with her husband, John Padilla-Rodriguez, she has provided steadfast leadership and extraordinary personal generosity to build the theatre into a treasured cultural institution and a cornerstone of Rochester's vibrant arts community. Nydia's own journey is a testament to resilience and the transformative power of opportunity. Rising from an at-risk youth to become a respected educator, mentor, and cultural leader, she transformed her personal experiences into a lifelong commitment to serving others. Over more than 30 years as an educator, she has inspired and empowered countless young people to pursue their aspirations while remaining deeply connected to their cultural heritage. Throughout her distinguished career, Nydia has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Girl Scouts of Genesee Valley's Woman of Influence Award, the IBERO-American Action League's Alice Torres Award, Geva Theatre's Essie Calhoun Diversity in the Arts Award, the Rochester Business Journal's Woman of Excellence Award, and designation as a New York State Woman of Distinction, among many others. These accolades reflect not only her remarkable accomplishments, but also the profound and lasting impact she has made on the Rochester community. Mr. Speaker, as Mrs. Nydia Padilla-Rodriguez begins a well-earned retirement, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating her extraordinary legacy of leadership, service, and cultural stewardship. Her unwavering dedication to uplifting others through education and the arts has enriched our community immeasurably, and her influence will continue to inspire generations to come. I extend my deepest gratitude and best wishes to Nydia and her family as she embarks on this next chapter.

Mr. MORELLE

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate all the hard work that went into this. I think we are in a much better place. I am pleased to think that if this legislation is successful, the Library of Congress will continue to be the Library of Congress and have its leadership appointed by this body in consultation with our, as Mr. Griffith describes it, friends on the other side of the building. Hopefully, they will see the wisdom in doing this. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 10204, the Legislative Branch Agencies Clarification Act. Apart from a few technical corrections, as my friend has described, this bill is identical to H.R. 6028, which passed the House in June. It updates the appointment process for the heads of two legislative branch agencies: the Library of Congress and the Government Publishing Office. It also creates a new Presidential appointment, subject to Senate confirmation, for the Register of Copyrights, and makes clear that the United States Copyright Office, which is currently part of the Library of Congress, will remain in the legislative branch. I thank the bill's author, Representative Griffith, as well as Chairman Steil, and their staff for working with us to improve prior versions of this legislation. It did, indeed, take many months, but I appreciated the openness and willingness of the majority to entertain some of the suggestions we made, which I do think make the bill stronger. In addition to ensuring the Copyright Office remains a legislative branch entity, the bill protects the Copyright Office's workforce, who will enjoy the same rights, privileges, and protections they hold today as Library employees. I do think that is very important. I have long said the Library of Congress should be appointed by Congress, and this bill achieves that important goal. Still, we must make this change thoughtfully and be mindful of the consequences, particularly for the Copyright Office. Copyright authorities are enshrined in Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 of the Constitution, and the Copyright Office has resided in the legislative branch for well over a century. It should remain there, and that is the intent of this bill. The copyright economy, I might add, contributes more than $2 trillion annually to our economy and supports more than 11 million American jobs--but only with a stable, reliable, and apolitical copyright system. This bill helps to preserve it at a critical moment for copyright stakeholders and millions of Library users. The Library and Copyright Office have operated in partnership for more than 150 years, and the Copyright Office depends on the Library's infrastructure. The Library builds its collections through the copyright deposits, so severing that relationship would harm both institutions. The bill recognizes this: It establishes a significant transition period. It allows the Copyright Office to continue Library support services. It requires the Register to consult with the Librarian before taking any action affecting the Library's access to copyright deposits. It safeguards the rights of Copyright Office employees. For too long, Congress has allowed its own authority and capacity to atrophy. The Library, Copyright Office, Government Publishing Office, and other support agencies we rely on are funded from a legislative branch budget that amounts to roughly four-tenths of 1 percent of all Federal discretionary spending. If we are serious about legislating on questions as complex as AI and copyright, we must be serious about sustaining the institutions that make that work possible. Mr. Speaker, the bill is not perfect. I don't know of a bill that has passed this House that has ever been deemed perfect, but it does ensure that the Librarian of Congress can be hired and fired only by Congress and does so while preserving both the Library and Copyright Office as the preeminent institutions in their fields. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend, Mr. Griffith, for his hard work and that of the staff and Chairman Steil. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MORELLE

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I was on the bubble, but that brilliant oration by Mrs. Bice has persuaded me to continue to support the bill. I thank her for her good work, and I strongly urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 9342, the GPO Modernization Act of 2026. I thank my good friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Mrs. Bice) for introducing it. The Government Publishing Office is a critical part of the legislative branch. Without it, Congress simply could not legislate, issue reports, or adequately conduct many of its constitutional responsibilities. It provides the public with one of the essentials of democracy: access to authoritative, accurate information. The statutes governing the government printing office, or GPO, have seen modest updates over the years, including the name change from the government printing office, which I probably said in mistake, to the Government Publishing Office, but much of the law still predates the digital era. This bill further modernizes those statutes, streamlines GPO's operations, and improves public access to government information. I support these efforts which will help strengthen the GPO's capacity and, in turn, Congress' capacity to do its work. Among other things, the bill updates the Federal Depository Library Program, or FDLP, to more effectively provide free, equitable, and convenient public access to government information. For example, it will allow depository libraries to substitute digital copies of government documents for hard copies. Doing so will free up much-needed physical space in libraries and let libraries without room on their shelves take part in the program and continue to serve the public. This bill also includes several improvements to GPO operations, including its procurement authorities and certain personnel policies. Together with the other legislation we are considering today to reform how the GPO Director is appointed, these changes will strengthen the agency and its ability to serve Congress and the public. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mrs. Bice for her leadership. I support the legislation and urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MORELLE

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to have the bill before the House, and I urge all my colleagues to vote in support of it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Advisory Committee on the Records of Congress was created in 1990 to review and advise Congress and the National Archives on the management and preservation of congressional records. The House Clerk, who is one of the leaders of the advisory committee, approached us with this proposal because the committee accomplished its key goals and is no longer useful in addressing current challenges. This makes sense because the ways we manage and preserve records have changed significantly over the last three-and-a-half decades. Sunsetting this committee will save taxpayer dollars and allow those resources to be used to improve contemporary archiving practices. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MORELLE

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Phil ``Uncle Phil'' Salamone as he celebrates an extraordinary milestone: 40 years of dedicated service to the Rochester Red Wings and to our greater Rochester community. For four decades, Uncle Phil has been a familiar and beloved presence for generations of Red Wings fans. From his post in the VIP parking lot, with his unmistakable smile, open arms, and signature phrase, ``Uncle Phil loves you!'' he has made countless visitors feel like part of the Rochester family. A graduate of Edison Career and Technology High School and a proud veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Uncle Phil has built a life defined by service to others. His journey with the Red Wings began when he started bringing his four sons to games and was offered a part-time job with the organization. What began as a job in the parking lot became a remarkable four-decade relationship with the team, its fans, and our community. Over the years, Uncle Phil has become a Rochester institution. His warmth and generosity have extended far beyond the ballpark to the many festivals, conventions, and community events he has worked throughout our region. Whether offering a hug striking up a conversation with a stranger, or simply making sure someone leaves a little happier than when they arrived, Uncle Phil has demonstrated the profound difference that everyday acts of kindness can make. Phil Salamone's greatest legacy can be found in the countless friendships he has formed, the memories he has helped create, and the generations of Rochesterians who know that a trip to the ballpark just would not be the same without seeing Uncle Phil. Forty years of service is an extraordinary accomplishment, and reaching this milestone while bringing such enthusiasm, compassion, and joy to others makes it all the more remarkable. It is my great privilege to congratulate Phil ``Uncle Phil'' Salamone on 40 years with the Rochester Red Wings and thank him for his enduring service to our community. Rochester is a kinder, friendlier, and more welcoming place because Uncle Phil has spent so many years reminding us of something simple but important: there is always room to show a little more love to one another.

Mr. MORELLE

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, on this floor this afternoon, we should be debating legislation to lower gas prices. We should be debating legislation to lower the cost of groceries. We should be debating legislation to rein in the most corrupt administration in the history of this country. That is what I heard when I went back home in Rochester and spent the last several weeks talking to people who are fearing for the futures of their families, who are fearing not being able to pay their medical bills, who fear not being able to pay their mortgage, who fear having to make tough decisions about childcare and putting food on the table. Instead, we are debating a nonbinding resolution. It is a nonbinding resolution which they said gives the sense of Congress. We have already given the sense about socialism less than a year ago. It has already passed this body, but we keep doing it. I guess we will keep saying it because we have nothing else to do and because we are not prepared to address the rising costs of gas and groceries and the challenges that families are facing. We are also calling for the enactment of a bill that has already passed the House. This is the important work this Congress is taking up today, passing a resolution that calls for the passing of a bill we have already passed and calling for the enactment of a resolution which we have already enacted. By the way, that bill, the SAVE America Act, would restrict access to the ballot box for millions of Americans, in particular, women, rural voters, students, and people of color. The SAVE America Act would effectively end vote by mail in the United States. It would force States to surrender private voter information to the Department of Homeland Security. If enacted today, the SAVE America Act would instantly throw the upcoming midterm elections into chaos. Mr. Speaker, House Democrats will continue to fight back because, despite the continued efforts by the President and his allies, our elections are safe. They are secure, and there is nothing more important in this moment than our collective efforts to ensure Americans are given every opportunity to render their verdict in November. House Democrats will make sure that happens, and I strongly urge my colleagues to oppose this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I share with Chairman Steil many things we agree on. He is a good friend, but his suggestion that this is about the concentration of power--concentration of power? What we have seen in the last 2 years is the concentration of power at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue and a Congress that has done little to nothing about establishing our Article I prerogatives. When it comes to appropriations, when it comes to the impoundment of money, when it comes to the illegal activities in Iran, which has put hundreds of billions of dollars of American money spent over there, which has made us less secure, cost the lives of 18 Americans, that is a concentration of power. We ought to talk about that. We should be having that conversation about Article I powers and reestablishing Congress' rightful role. Mr. Speaker, if you want to talk about concentration of power, Republican Members, including my friend, have made clear the SAVE America Act would take effect immediately upon passage. With just 63 days before this election, this bill would upend elections in every State across this country. Regarding concentration of power, Members of this body know that States begin mailing millions of ballots just 3 weeks from now, and yet, we would pass this concentration of power to put further power concentrated in the hands of one individual at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue. How are these election administrators supposed to comply with this new Federal law should it take effect? It is election malpractice, frankly. The committee heard months ago from an election director on the ground who called this effective date unworkable. The purpose of this change, which is in this resolution, is clearly to throw election administration into disarray, because elections in chaos are easier to disrupt and subvert. That is why President Trump unleashed an angry mob on the building on January 6, 2021, to create chaos, undermine confidence in our election system, and literally create a dangerous situation, all in service of overturning an election that he lost. This change is irresponsible. It is the ultimate move to concentrate power in the hands of one individual. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Ramirez), my friend.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I will just note that in the text of the resolution it talks about how socialist ideology necessitates the concentration of power, but the whereas is essentially any form of socialism. I am just sort of curious, as I read it, it denounces socialism in all of its forms. I just ask the question of my colleagues. The current administration has entered into 39 announced deals, has invested $28 billion of American taxpayer money, and $8.9 billion of that was to purchase 433 million shares of Intel. We now have a 9.9 percent stake in Intel-- which sounds like socialism to me, the government control or ownership of the means of production--15 percent of MP Materials, 5 percent of Lithium Americas, and another 5 percent of its joint venture with General Motors. Frankly, if it comes to government ownership of private industry, which it does, as a capitalist I said this, I actually voted on the resolution when it came before the House before, but I wonder: If the United States Government gets into the habit of purchasing shares and ownership of a chip manufacturer, Intel, does that mean when it comes to procurement that we are somehow compromised? Can we choose another chip manufacturer to the disadvantage of American taxpayers because we are part-owners of the company that is competing for our business? How will we regulate companies now where we have a vested interest in the profitability because the American taxpayers are part owners of that company? I would have taken a little more care with the resolution because you would have to argue that perhaps the most socialist President in recent memory is Donald Trump because he is having American taxpayers own shares of private companies. I would think there would be a number of Members on my friends' side of the aisle that would have distress about such a measure taken by an American President. I can imagine if Joe Biden was taking ownership of Intel how we would have heard people screaming about it, but they are oddly silent because the would-be dictator of America, the would-be king, has decided that he is going to invest American money in private companies. I just would be curious to see what people's response is to that. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Pocan).

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. When the gentleman began to speak and said this was a simple resolution on socialism, I thought perhaps he hadn't read his own resolution because it also creates incredible barriers to people registering to vote in America and engaging in self-government, which has been the whole point of this Republic for 250 years. I am glad he did indicate, though, that this is also including efforts to make it harder for Americans to vote. However, I would say this: I know this is so important that we pass this resolution, except I would also remind the body that we passed this resolution a year ago condemning socialism, so we are doing here just the same thing. I guess next week we will do it again and again and again, but we have already done this, and we have also passed the awful SAVE America Act several times here as well. Rather than focusing on gas prices and the ill-advised illegal war in Iran, which has raised the price of groceries and gas, which has spent hundreds of billions of dollars not authorized by the Congress, we stand here talking about a resolution that has two parts, both of which have already passed. That is what we consider a critical measure to consider, a nonbinding resolution today on two things we have already done in the House, but I guess that passes for progress in some people's minds. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Tlaib).

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as if we didn't waste enough time participating in yesterday's purely performative exercise at the Rules Committee, here we are again. After zero floor activity for the last 5 weeks, House Republicans have brought to the floor a nonbinding resolution calling for enactment of the SAVE America Act. I was recently asked by a constituent: ``What is a nonbinding resolution?'' And I effectively said: A nonbinding resolution is a statement of how Congress feels, but it does nothing. So here we are taking up a nonbinding resolution of how we feel. And in an ironic twist that would be comical if it weren't so sinister, this resolution, this nonbinding feeling of Congress, stokes fears of a repressive totalitarian dictatorship while in the same breath affirms House Republicans' obsession with subverting Americans' right to vote-- the same House Republicans that have ceded entirely Congress' constitutional authority to one single person. Absurd doesn't begin to describe this. This resolution, this nonbinding resolution, asks the House to condemn government ownership of private industry, yet under Donald Trump's administration, the Federal Government has spent almost $28 billion of American money acquiring stakes in dozens of private companies--$28 billion. Now, personally, I believe in capitalism, but if my Republican friends want to debate socialism, they should start with the shareholder in chief who sits in the Oval Office. Mr. Speaker, after hearing from their own constituents about the affordability crisis in America and the corruption in this administration for the past 5 weeks, House Republicans are wasting time on a vote for a resolution condemning a political philosophy, a resolution which has already passed the House, and calling for the enactment of a bill aimed at making it harder for Americans to vote--a bill which I also note has already passed this House. This bill would make it harder for married women and veterans to vote, a bill that would essentially gut mail and online voter registration, a bill that would force States to hand out voter rolls to President Trump's Department of Homeland Security. Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised we are here today because one thing is clear: As costs are skyrocketing for American consumers, Republicans are afraid to face their constituents at the ballot box. The White House and congressional Republicans have failed the American people, and the only remaining option is to try to keep Americans from voting at all. They want bills like the SAVE America Act to disrupt election administration and keep millions of eligible voters away from the polls. The President has issued illegal executive orders to block ballot access for millions of Americans, including an unlawful attempt to weaponize the United States Postal Service and eviscerate vote-by- mail regimes in States across this country because the President says mail-in voting is fraudulent, even though the President himself voted twice in the last few weeks by mail. This administration has defunded and gutted the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, CISA, and its support for election administrators. And of course, the President and his allies continue to actively spread mis- and disinformation about the integrity of our elections. Maybe that is the point: to cause a lack of confidence in our election writ large and get people to question the very legitimacy of our long tradition of self-governance. House Democrats will continue to fight back because, despite continued efforts by the President and his allies, our elections are safe and secure. State and local election administrators, both Democrats and Republicans, not the President, will continue to run elections in this country. States will do it. Local and State election administrators will do it, not the President of the United States. The courts will continue to reject unlawful attempts by the Department of Justice to force States to turn over their voter rolls. As of earlier this month, the Department of Justice's record in these cases now is 0 for 23. There were 23 cases brought in Federal court, and the Department of Justice has lost every single one of them in their effort to force States to turn over voter rolls. House Democrats' objectives are straightforward. Every eligible American must have a meaningful opportunity to cast a ballot, and those ballots must be counted fairly and accurately. There is nothing more important in this moment than our collective efforts to ensure Americans are given every opportunity to render their verdict in November, and despite the best efforts of House Republicans, we are going to make sure that happens. Mr. Speaker, in a recent poll, Congress was found to have a 15 percent approval rating. Mr. Speaker, 15 percent of the American people approve of the job Congress is doing today. Some might understandably think that number is low, but frankly, after participating in this absurd exercise, I am surprised it is that high. With all due respect to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, would this entirely symbolic resolution Republicans are seeking to advance today do anything to lower gas prices? Would this pure messaging bill do anything to make your groceries less expensive? Would this resolution do anything to hold all the crooks in the White House accountable? The answer is simple. It would not. Promises were made to the American people, but they have not been kept. The American people deserve better than this. I strongly urge my colleagues to reject this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MORELLE

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Dennis Mietz, President of Brighton Volunteer Ambulance (BVA), whose extraordinary dedication to emergency medical services and unwavering commitment to the Rochester community left an indelible mark on countless lives. I was fortunate to know Dennis as both a colleague and a friend over many years, and I saw firsthand the dedication defining his life of service. For nearly four decades, Dennis served the BVA with exceptional distinction, becoming its longest-serving member and one of its most respected leaders. Throughout his remarkable tenure, he served as an Emergency Medical Technician, Critical Care EMT, member of the Board of Directors, and ultimately President of the Board. In every role, he helped shape the organization's future while mentoring generations of volunteers and earning the admiration of colleagues, patients, and friends alike. Dennis's legacy extends far beyond the remarkable milestones of his service. Over the course of his career, he devoted more than 30,000 volunteer hours, helped save approximately 120 lives, and assisted in the delivery of eight babies. Those who knew him will remember him not only for these extraordinary accomplishments, but for his compassion and steadfast belief that the greatest leaders are those who listen first. Whether responding to an emergency, mentoring a new EMT, or guiding the organization through challenges, Dennis led with wisdom and an unwavering commitment to serving others. Beyond his distinguished service in emergency medicine, Dennis was an accomplished commercial airline pilot and Division I hockey player, exemplifying a lifelong pursuit of excellence in every endeavor he pursued. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Dennis Mietz and celebrating his extraordinary legacy of service and compassion. Having had the privilege of working alongside Dennis throughout the years, I know his absence will be deeply felt by all who had the opportunity to know him. I extend my deepest condolences to his family, friends, and the entire Brighton Volunteer Ambulance community. His selfless devotion to others enriched the lives of so many, and his legacy will continue to inspire future generations of first responders and community leaders throughout Rochester and beyond.

Mr. MORELLE

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I will close by saying this. The bill before us is a crude combination of two completely unrelated bills--the so-called Stop Insider Trading Act and the Voter ID Act. The Voter ID Act is, of course, already a crude reformulation of the SAVE America Act. I have addressed both parts of the bill individually. Neither of them deserves passage. Frankly, neither of them deserves much serious debate. The first, the so-called Stop Insider Trading Act, is not a stock trading ban. Despite what everyone has said today, it simply is not. Get the bill. Download it. Read it. It doesn't require people to sell stock that they own. The bill is a vote to allow Members of Congress to continue to own and trade individual stocks. I don't know how to be clearer than that. The bill would let Members of Congress keep every single share of stock they own. The bill would allow Members to liquidate their holdings at any time, obviously when it is profitable for them. There is no divestiture required in this bill. The bill does nothing to rein in the unprecedented, absurd, and deeply offensive corruption currently taking place in the White House. The bill is silent on the President. I would note again that so far this year, the President has traded more securities than the entire Congress combined, all 535 Members of the House and Senate. Does anyone believe for a minute that the President has less influence on the markets than individual Members of Congress? Judge that for yourself. Then there is the second fully distinct part of this bill: voter suppression provisions taken right from the SAVE America Act. House Democrats support voter identification. Democrats have included responsible ID provisions in the Freedom to Vote Act and have offered amendments at committee making this point crystal clear. The bill before us, however, would create a more restrictive regime than any currently in use in this country. It is more restrictive than Florida and more restrictive than Texas. The bill would eviscerate mail voting as we know it, forcing voters to include photocopies of their ID every time they mail a ballot. This measure is so extreme the Republican Governor of Ohio, Governor DeWine, vetoed a similar statewide measure because it would burden voters without preventing fraud. This bill would throw our elections into chaos, the effective date being October 20 of 2026, 90 days from today, right in the middle of this midterm election. In 90 days, tens of millions of Americans will have already cast their ballots by person and by mail. This bill would upend the November midterms, and that is exactly the point. That is exactly the goal. I urge my colleagues to oppose this rehash again of the President's top legislative priority: the SAVE Act. I urge its defeat. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Magaziner), a leader in this fight and my dear friend.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam), my friend.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to the time remaining.

Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I go back to a comment I made earlier in my opening about the timing of this bill and the effective date. Ninety days from now is October 20, 2 weeks before election day. There will be millions of ballots, mail-in ballots, absentee ballots. Several years ago, this Congress passed the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. For uniformed and overseas persons who are eligible to vote, UOCAVA ballots will already be en route to voters. Voters will have already cast ballots, perhaps in the millions, by that time. How are election administrators across the United States supposed to comply with this new Federal law dropped right in the middle of the final weeks of the 2026 midterm elections? It is effectively election malpractice. It is creating discord. It will create countless questions. I don't know who is going to pay for the retraining. I don't even know how one would do the retraining. Election workers are going to be stuck, as I envision it, with envelopes which will need to have not only photocopies--by the way, I don't know where any of this information gets stored after the fact. Is it going to be in a vault somewhere? Is a voter's driver's license or proper ID going to be kept somewhere? By the way, how will they make sure that when someone, as they will no doubt do, puts their ID in their ballot, eliminating any chance that they have secrecy of their ballot--who is managing that? The local election administrators? They are going to train all their workers within 2 weeks of election day on a brand-new system that has never been done anywhere in this country. I went through this in the Rules Committee. Most of the IDs in most of our States, even the most conservative States in America, have broader ID requirements than this. Student IDs are not allowed. Most States allow it. All kinds of IDs that people have, they won't be able to use them anymore. Texas won't be in compliance. Florida won't be in compliance. The Governor of Ohio just vetoed a bill like this, which effectively criticized the intent of the bill and said it wouldn't do anything for voter security. How does this all happen? The purpose of the change is to throw election administration into disarray. I don't know how we can see it otherwise. At the very least, if you were thinking about this, you would make it effective next year or the year after to give local administrators time to prepare and probably give them some resources so they could do all manner of things necessary to comply with admittedly a bad law. But at least it would be something you could say with a straight face was serious or an attempt to be serious. This isn't serious. This is creating discord. It is reckless. It is irresponsible and ultimately will, once again, put the question in front of American voters of: Are they really sure they should have confidence in our system? I think it is clear some people want Americans to doubt our system, which, by the way, they should have confidence in. These election administrators, Democrats and Republicans, at the local level care deeply about their work. They see this as a sacred trust. People are getting in and voting, and there is no design to have all manner of things that they suggest happen. It is simply not true. That is why people will look at this and will look at January 6, 2021, and will look at all these things and conclude rightly that all we want to do is create discord and subversion of this democratic system. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Torres), my colleague, friend, and partner on the Committee on House Administration.